Ann Curry returned to TODAY this morning. Via ScallywagandVagabond.com
Many people were upset with the unceremonious way that NBC literally dumped Ann Curry out of the co-host chair in June and replaced her with Savannah Guthrie. Now Curry has given an interview with Ladies Home Journal in which she says her clothes were criticized while she was on the show.
“One day I wore a multicolored dress [on Today] and someone asked if I was trying to be Toucan Sam,” she told the magazine. She also says she was encouraged to wear sky-high heels and chooses not to dye her grey hair.
Unfortunately, we live in a world where women are judged much more harshly than men based on the way they look. The Grindstone, following the Ann Curry story, asked a few fashion experts about Curry specifically and office fashion etiquette in general. Corporette founder Kat Griffin points out that news anchors are generally a conservative lot, so Curry’s wardrobe stood out.
“That said: she was on a morning show, covering everything from serious news to puff pieces — and I’ve often heard her criticized for being TOO serious, and not ‘warm’ enough. So I actually think the colorful clothes were a smart decision on her part,” she says.
The rules of office fashion vary depending on the industry and the office. Some offices are totally fine with jeans every day. Others prefer they be saved for Fridays. It’s important to take the temperature of the room.
“Just look around your office and if you stand out like a sore thumb, exercise good judgement,” said another blogger, Marion Green.
Certain industries are also going to emphasize appearance more. If you work in one of these areas — fashion, television, and public relations might be industries where your attire matters more — you have to be mindful about looking the part.
Many companies have relaxed their dress codes, making the ease and comfort of getting dressed a perk of being an employee. Overwhelmingly, what’s appropriate has become a sliding scale. Certain things are never acceptable — too much skin or stained clothing, for example. But for the most part, if you’ll wear an outfit to your friend’s house to watch Netflix, on a beach vacation, or to the club on Saturday night, it’s probably not the right thing for work.
